Always in Motion
by jkleeberger22
Summary: What if the Council made a mistake, and Anakin wasn't the Chosen One? Padme sees a Force Vision of her husband turning to the Dark Side and begins training in the ways of the Jedi to protect herself and her children. It turns out she is quite strong in the Force…But which side? A mother's love can be a dangerous thing… AU RotS, rated T for dark themes (just to be safe.)
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

Recently elected Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine strode over to the Jedi knight and the sandy-haired child who was tailing Kenobi. So, this was the one whom the Jedi said would bring balance to the Force. Palpatine allowed the slightest hint of a smirk to tug at the corners of his lips as he studied the child. _Bring balance, indeed._ _The ratio of Sith to Jedi at this time is hardly optimal._

Well, young Skywalker's Force-guided destruction of the Droid Control Ship had certainly been impressive, and his midi-chlorian counts were astounding. But Palpatine felt an unease, an uncertainty that he had never felt before while allowing the powerful, surging energy of the Dark Side to guide him. Anger- and power- were the trademarks of the Dark Side, not doubt.

The Jedi had started to murmur in concern lately about how the Dark Side was clogging the Force, like mud that turning a clear pond into murk. Palpatine always inwardly scoffed at this: It was the Light Side that blinded his vision in the Force, with its pools of luminescence that flooded into the corners of the Dark. Suddenly, he realized it was receding. The Dark Side was regaining the ground it had lost after Maul's death, and he could see again. Yes, the Force was swirling around Skywalker-

But there was someone in the crowd of handmaidens, guards, and spectators whose Force presence was even stronger.

Palpatine glanced in the direction the Force was pointing, and his eyes fell directly on her. His gaze pierced deeper than the face paint and elaborate hairdo she wore.

 _Ah. You may not know the power you possess, Queen Amidala, but I do. And I will soon have all the power to be found in this galaxy eating out of the palm of my hand._


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N. Nope, Star Wars ain't mine.**

o0o

 _Anakin's feverish yellow eyes, the radiating heat of the lava, and Obi Wan's shout turned into a swirl of loud, colorful confusion before everything went black. She could still feel the flutter of two small heartbeats inside her, could almost hear two tiny, soundless voices sob her name: Mommy!_

 _But she couldn't answer. The invisible fingers that gripped her throat had ripped away her consciousness._

 _Mommy, Mommy, help us!_

Padme Amidala Skywalker bolted upright in bed, panting and running her fingers through her sweat-soaked hair. Her heart beat to a rapid rhythm, which pounded even harder as she saw the face of the man lying beside her. She could almost still feel his fingers around her throat, see his eyes staring at her through an impenetrable haze of anger. It wasn't the only Force vision she had experienced recently, and the ones she had seen had been prone to fluctuation; In some, she had seen Anakin killing her after the twins' birth and taking them to train in the Dark Side. In others, like the one she had just experienced, her unborn children died with her. No hesitation existed in Padme's heart, however, that one of the premonitions would come true because they all shared a common factor: Anakin betrayed her for the Dark Side. There was a quiver in her stomach that wasn't entirely the result of the tension created by the dream, and she reached down to rub it.

 _Mommy._

 _My little ones. I won't let that happen to you. I won't!_

"Padme?" Anakin's voice, soft with sleep, interrupted her thoughts. "Are you okay, angel?"

Padme forced an almost even breath from her chest. "Yes, Ani," she said roughly, the memory of the yellow eyes haunting her. "It's nothing."

o0o

The lingering sense of apprehension from her vision was still affecting her the next morning. Padme rolled her shoulders, trying to dissipate the tension in her mind and muscles as she reached out to the Force. Finding she was barely able to touch it, she gritted her teeth. It would be so much easier to abandon her attempts to achieve an inward peace and simply channel her frustration into the task, but that was not the Jedi way.

"Focus, Padme. Clear your mind, and allow the Force to move through you," Obi Wan's voice encouraged, sounding vague and distant through the fog of her concentration.

She took a deep breath, slowly examining each of her thoughts and releasing them one by one into the Force. Some of them took several attempts before she was able to empty them from her mind into the absorbing sponge of the Force. She took a deep breath and tried again; Across the room, the sofa wobbled and rose. Padme held it up for almost a full minute before lowering it back down.

"Very good!" Obi-Wan said. "You are progressing very quickly. Are you sure we shouldn't speak to the Council about your training? It doesn't feel right for me to train you without their knowledge."

"No, Obi-Wan, please don't tell them," Padme begged. "They thought Anakin was too old at nine; They couldn't possibly approve of me starting training at my age. What would we do if they forbid it?"

Obi-Wan hesitated, running his fingers through his hair. "I see your point, but I just don't know, Padme."

Feeling as if she were striking below the belt, she asked softly, "What would Qui-Gon say?"

A fond, melancholy smile crossed Obi Wan's face. "To follow the lead of the living Force." The Jedi snorted and added, "And to do what needs to be done, no matter what the Council thinks."

"Well, then, what does the Force tell you? What needs to be done?"

Obi-Wan paused and thought, then shook his head. "It feels as confused as I do, Padme. The Dark Side is clouding our vision of the Light: Even Master Yoda has struggled to discern what should be done."

"That's why we need to do something!" Padme exclaimed. "We can't let our fear of the Dark Side immobilize us. We have to prepare, so we can fight it when the time comes." She sighed and rubbed her stomach, the intensity in her eyes fading to weariness. "I don't want my children to grow up in the galaxy I have been seeing in my visions, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan reached over to touch her shoulder. The brush of his fingers was hesitant, but it grew into a gentle, soothing rub. He sighed. "I don't either. I want to prevent Anakin's fall just as much as you do. He is as close to me as a brother, and you're like a sister to me, Padme."

"So, you'll beat up anyone who tries to hurt me?" Padme asked with a grin.

"I think you could do that well enough yourself," Obi-Wan replied. "I just wish I could give you better training than an occasional session of meditation or levitation. You could do so much more with the proper time, resources, and teaching."

Padme allowed her lips to tug themselves upwards in a small smile. "Being a Jedi isn't my calling, anyway." _But being a mother is._ That was why she practiced using the Force every day when no one was around and the blinds were closed; When the day the events in her Force visions came true, she wasn't about to allow Anakin to harm her beautiful children. He hadn't even sensed there were two babies growing inside of her instead of one; She had, and a small whisper inside of her, whether it was a nudge from the Force or simply a mother's instinct, advised her not to tell him.

And speaking of Anakin-

"He's coming!" Obi-Wan said, jumping up as he felt his former padawan's Force signature. "Anakin's almost here."

"You have to go, Obi-Wan," Padme said, hastily reorganizing her living room. Force-lifting the furniture had turned it into a disaster zone. She grabbed a cushion that had fallen on the floor with the Force and tossed it onto the sofa. Feeling Obi Wan's eyes on her, she said, "I'm guessing this is a frivolous use of the Force."

Obi-Wan nodded, grabbed his things, and headed for the door. "Nonetheless, you did well today, Padme. I'm surprised at how quickly you've mastered these exercises. You are strong in the Force." He turned around slowly and hesitated. "Padme, if there is any possibility that Anakin could have such a future, we need to warn the Council."

"Please, Obi-Wan, keep my secret a little longer. I'll figure something out. If Anakin knows I'm Force sensitive…" her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. "He'll only work to become stronger, and I'll never be able to stop him."

The Jedi was silent for a moment. "You don't have to carry the whole galaxy on your shoulders," he said softly. "Please, allow us to help."

"I'm allowing you to," Padme said. "I trust you, Obi-Wan."

"But not the rest of the Jedi?"

"If the Chosen One isn't immune to the Dark Side," she said with a sigh, "who is?"

o0o

 **A/N So, just so you know what to expect from this fic, I'm not planning to write every day and hour of Padme's life during the time of RotS, just the moments that I think would be the most important if she were Force sensitive and the way events would then differ from what we see in Episode 3. Thanks for reading, and a special shoutout to those who followed or favorited!**


	3. Chapter 2

"Padme, I'm here!" Anakin called, ten seconds before Padme heard the door shut behind him.

She rushed to the front of the house. "Hush, Anakin!" she scolded, tugging the robe off his shoulders and hanging it on a hook by the door. "The whole galaxy will be able to hear you."

"Then let them hear! I want everyone from Tatooine to Coruscant to know of my love for you."

She sighed. "Be sensible, Anakin. You know we can't let the Jedi Council learn of our marriage, much less entire star systems."

He pecked a kiss on her cheek, then bent over to do the same to her stomach. "I can't be sensible, Padme. Not when I'm with you and our beautiful children."

 _That's what I'm afraid of._

A smile suddenly spread across Anakin's face as his fingers pressed against her stomach. "It's kicking, Padme! Who do you think it is, a little Luke or a little Leia?"

Padme touched her belly gently, her lips twitching up as she thought of the only pleasant secret she was keeping. She and Anakin had finally decided on the name Luke for a boy, or Leia for a girl; Only Padme knew that they would be using both.

"That's definitely a Leia," she said, wincing as the unborn child kicked her again. "She's going to be a feisty one."

"Just like her mother," Anakin said fondly, touching Padme's cheek. He hesitated, and his smile faded. "Padme, I have some bad news. The Council is sending me on another mission with Obi-Wan."

"Sometimes it feels as if someone is just trying to keep us apart," Padme said, forcing her tone to be teasing. She wasn't sure if she felt relieved or disappointed that her husband would be gone again: Relieved that she and the twins would be safe out of his reach, or disappointed that there wouldn't be someone, anyone she loved at her bedside when she went into labor.

Anakin seemed to be able to read her thoughts: Some of them, anyway. "Why don't you ask your parents and sister to come to Coruscant?" he asked. "If the babies are born while I am gone, I don't want you to be alone."

The idea was tempting, but she certainly could not call her parents; To do so would put them right in the middle of this conflict, probably risking their lives in both the war between the Separatists and the Republic and the struggle between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force. No, that was out of the question.

"My family needs to stay on Naboo. It isn't safe here, Anakin," she said, allowing him to wrap his arms around her. "I'll be fine. The medical centers here are the best in the system, and Threepio will be home with me to call them if necessary."

"I meant for company, and I don't think you want Threepio yapping at your bedside while you're in labor. Oh, dear, oh, dear!" Anakin said, mimicking the droid's prissy voice. "The chances of a successful pregnancy are-"

"Be nice to Threepio," Padme interrupted, although she grinned. It felt good to smile again. "You were the one that built him."

He smirked unrepentantly and pulled her into a kiss, which she returned with only a slight hesitation.

"When are you leaving?" Padme asked, pulling back far enough that she could see his face as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Tomorrow morning."

"Force, can't the Council let you know further in advance than the day before?"

Anakin shrugged. "They don't know I'm a married man. I'm not supposed to have any attachments so I can whole-heartedly serve the galaxy, remember?"

"Right," she said. "I thought it was because they left you vulnerable to the Dark side." That had been one of her greatest fears as she laid in bed at night, staring at the ceiling and contemplating the Anakin of her visions. _Will your fall happen because I married you? Is it my fault that a monster will be created?_

"You know I don't believe that love always leads to the Dark Side, Padme," Anakin said, drawing her out of her thoughts. "There's a reason why Master Yoda doesn't say that fear leads to love, love leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering."

"So, you don't think our marriage was a mistake? You still love me, Anakin?"

He smiled, his finger playing with one of the tendrils of hair that snaked down out of her hairdo. "Of course, angel. Your love is what keeps me sane."

 _Then what's going to happen to our love? Why will you turn against me, our children, the galaxy?_

Anakin gently disentangled himself from their embrace. "I have to go and prepare for my mission because Master Windu is holding a briefing in a half hour. I'll call you tonight when I know how long I'll be gone."

"Goodbye, Ani."

"Goodbye, angel."

They shared a tender kiss, then Anakin darted out the door. Padme stood by the window and watched the speeders zooming by, waiting until she saw Anakin's drive past. He grinned at her and blew her another kiss. As the speeder weaved in and out of traffic, disappearing from her sight, she wondered if it would be the last time she saw Anakin and if the man she loved would return as the Sith from her visions.

o0o

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was sitting at his desk and working on a report for the Senate when he felt Padme's Force presence enter the premises. He smiled and laid aside his data pad. His speech to the Senate was not his true work: Finding a new apprentice was.

Padme had stopped right outside his office, probably speaking to his receptionist, Marjim. The two women had become fast friends over the course of Padme's visits to the Chancellor, although he knew the Senator had never confided in Marjim: That was perfect, as the role of confidante was one that Palpatine was determined to reserve for himself. Hopefully, his personal requests for Skywalker on missions that would take him far from Amidala would help him achieve that goal. And if Marjim ever discovered his plans and happened to interfere...Well, it wouldn't be a great loss to him if he had to terminate her employment or her life.

Nonetheless, Darth Sidious would be walking a thin line trying to gradually tug the former queen and hero of Naboo to the Dark Side, and he briefly consulted the Force for guidance.

"Senator Amidala," Palpatine said, rising from his seat as Padme entered his office. He bobbed his head, took her arm, and pulled out a chair for her in front of his desk. "Please, be seated."

"Thank you," Padme replied, adjusting her skirts and lowering herself onto the seat. Her eyes darted around Palpatine's office. "Have you redecorated, Chancellor? The atmosphere feels…different."

"No, I haven't, my dear," he said with a smile. He would have to be more careful with his usage of the Force: Although she didn't know what it was, she could feel the permeating effects of the Dark Side. That was more than he could say of any of the other Jedi, including Mace Windu and Yoda. _Interesting..._ "Perhaps it's because it's been so long since you visited me here," he continued aloud. "Stars above, it has been too long since we last talked."

"Yes, that must be it." Padme sighed and ran a hand through her hair, dislodging the combs and letting her locks fall out of the elaborate hairstyle. Inwardly Palpatine smirked; Padme's trust had been long in coming, but he had made great strides in gaining it on the day she had first set aside her public persona in his presence.

"You look weary, my dear," Palpatine said, manufacturing concern and allowing it to gleam through his eyes. "Is something bothering you?"

"The state of the galaxy these days. Hasn't that always been a matter of concern?"

He nodded soberly. "Indeed, it has. And are you thinking about something in particular about the galaxy that is amiss today? You know how much I admire your insights."

She didn't look up with the sharp, no-nonsense glance that Palpatine usually earned from her for his flatteries. Instead, she stared down at her thumbs, twiddling them. "It's the Jedi," she said finally, choosing her words carefully. "I fear that there is a danger under their noses that they are simply too blind to see."

"I, too, have felt sometimes that perhaps the Jedi's rigid attention to their code has made them a bit…narrowminded. Why, the Council almost refused to train Anakin Skywalker simply because he wasn't brought to the temple as a baby." His sharp eye didn't miss that Padme's fingers had involuntarily started to move to her belly before she noticed and clenched her hand.

"I have never agreed with that," Palpatine added. His tone was casual, but the implications had been carefully calculated. "Breaking the bond of affection between a parent and child before it even has a chance to form. In my opinion, not being allowed to form attachments- even the most natural, such as a child for a parent- robs the Jedi of some of their compassion and understanding. And in a group as influential as the Jedi, that could be a dangerous thing. Now, please don't misunderstand me, Senator, because the Jedi have performed great services for me and the Republic…" He allowed his voice to trail off, then leaned forward and folded his hands on his desk, offering Padme a gentle smile. "But never mind, I am here to listen to your concerns, not to speak of my own."

"It's nothing, Chancellor. Just a feeling," Padme said with a small laugh. "Like as not, it's probably just a foul mood lingering from some dream or another I had last night."

"My dear, we have instincts for a reason. I learned long ago that it can be dangerous to ignore them." He shifted in his seat and leaned forward, hands tucked under his chin as he stared at her gravely. "Padme, have you considered that these may be more than just hunches?"

"I don't know what you mean."

He smiled, a predator's grin softened to that of a kind mentor. "Could you be Force sensitive yourself?"

"I dreamed of having the powers of the Jedi when I was a child," Padme admitted. "What youngling hasn't? But like most of them, I discovered the truth as I grew."

"The truth?" Palpatine asked. Only long years of practice allowed him to smother the eagerness in his voice.

"That the Force is with some of us, and it isn't with others. I'm one of the others," Padme said with a laugh.

 _Smooth, Senator, but do you really think you can hide your power from eyes not blinded by the Light?_

"As a fellow 'other,' I can completely sympathize," he said aloud, smiling at her. "Remember, my office and my ear are always open to you and your concerns, Padme."


	4. Chapter 3

"Wait, Senator Amidala!" Padme heard a voice call as she was about to climb into her speeder. She glanced up to see Chancellor Palpatine's secretary striding toward her.

"The Chancellor always gives me an extra-long lunch break. He values his privacy." Marjim smiled at Padme hopefully. "Would you like to grab a quick bite at Dexter's with me and find someplace quiet outdoors to eat it? I've been wanting a better opportunity to speak with you for a long time."

Padme smiled back. "I would be glad to come with you. I could use a break and some fresh air."

The two women drove their speeders to the fast food restaurant and offered two takeout meals before proceeding to the only nature preserve on Coruscant. They settled down on a bench to eat their lunch.

"Mmm," Marjim said, breathing a sigh of contentment as she swallowed her last bite. "That was delicious. Probably was half grease, but delicious nonetheless."

Padme nodded, crumpling up the wrappers from her meal and tossing them into a nearby trashcan. "I think I'll try to walk some of it off."

The two women strolled along the path. The shadows of the leaves on the trees overhead speckled the sidewalk, the dark shapes flickering as a gentle breeze stirred their live counterparts. Padme breathed in deeply; The bustle of Coruscant and the beauty of the skyline energized her, but sometimes she still missed the waterfalls, lush green, and open spaces of Naboo countryside where there had been no war, no arguments, no visions, just herself and Anakin. When she had been so sure of his love...

"Padme?" Marjim asked suddenly, sounding ill at ease. "Are you…expecting?"

Padme's gaze immediately jerked to her friend, her thoughts spinning. _So much for peace…_ "Is it obvious?"

"No, you do a good job of hiding it with loose clothing. I just noticed your dress was stretched tightly against your stomach when you were sitting a certain way on the bench." Marjim paused, the silence filled only by the rhythm of their footsteps. "Anakin Skywalker is the father, isn't he?"

"You are entirely too perceptive for your own good, Marjim," Padme said with a sigh. "How did you know?"

"It certainly required a lot of perception," Marjim said wryly, "When you ran into his arms and he kissed you at the Jedi Temple."

Padme felt her cheeks grow warm and pretended to study a tree they were passing. "Do you go to the Temple frequently?" she asked.

"Every week," Marjim said with a quiet laugh. "Oh, I know I'm not supposed to be there, but wild rancors couldn't keep me away. You see, my husband fought for the Republic in the war. He frequently went undercover on Separatist worlds to gather intel when the Jedi couldn't be spared, or when it was too high a risk for the Jedi to take in proportion to the information that was being offered."

"I understand," Padme said softly. "Average people complete the dirty work, while the Jedi get the applause from the public. I'm sorry."

Marjim shrugged, smiling sadly. "The Jedi are generals and leaders of hundreds of clone troops: They are more important to the war effort than average people like my husband." She sucked in a deep breath, her gaze falling to her feet and watching them as they thumped along the path. "A group of Separatist extremists, partnered with a Dark Jedi, killed my husband," she continued. "I had a daughter shortly after his death, and she tested positive for Force sensitivity at her birth. I was eighteen years old, and with my lone salary, I couldn't afford proper food, clothing, and schooling for a child. I knew they would be able to provide her with those things at the Temple, along with the proper training. I still like to go and quietly watch at the Temple sometimes, hoping I might catch a glimpse of my Celesta."

The loneliness Padme saw in Marjim's eyes prompted her to stop walking and wrap her arms around the other woman. "Oh, Marjim, I'm sorry. They don't let you visit her?"

"No. Attachments are forbidden," Marjim whispered. She returned the hug, wiped her eyes, and stepped back with a smile. "But it's all right, Padme. Celesta will have a chance to make a difference that I never had. Dark Jedi like the one who killed my husband need to be stopped, and, since I lacked other options, dedicating my daughter to the cause was all I could do."

"Don't underestimate your own ability to make a difference," Padme said gently as they started walking again. "You work in the office of the Supreme Chancellor himself!"

Marjim waved her hand dismissively. "All I do is make him caf and schedule his appointments."

"I personally know that no politician can function well if his secretary doesn't. The Chancellor has a workload the size of a sarlacc, so you must have a large one, too."

Marjim grinned. "I've probably got a Sarlacc sized stack of work on my desk right now." She flicked back her sleeve, eyes widening as she glanced at her watch. "And stars above, I'm going to be late."

She smiled warmly at Padme, reaching out to gently touch her arm. "Don't worry, Senator. I know attachments aren't something you can simply turn off and on; I won't tell anyone about Master Skywalker. How many people know?"

"Just a few close friends: Anakin's former master Obi-Wan and Senator Organa, although Bail doesn't know who the father is. Anakin insisted that someone I trusted in the Senate must be informed of my condition, so someone will know and be able to help if something goes wrong."

"Smart man," Marjim said with an approving nod. "Now, I had really better start moving. The Chancellor's going to adopt the temperament of a Hutt if I don't get him his afternoon cup of caf." She turned and sprinted down the path, surprisingly quickly in spite of her formal clothing. "Goodbye, Padme! It was nice talking to you."

"Goodbye, Marjim!" Padme called back. She started to trudge back to her speeder, reluctant to return to the worries she had left.

o0o

Padme was listening to the Supreme Chancellor address the Senate a few days later when she began to feel the contractions. She ignored the first few, trying to focus as the Chancellor droned on about trade routes blocked by the war and the raised taxes that were resulting. The contractions, like the rise in taxes, had been coming for several weeks now, but one of the med droids had given her an exam and diagnosed it as false labor every time.

She winced as her muscles tightened, her hand instinctively moving to her belly. When another contraction came less than five minutes after, her sharp intake of breath drew Bail's attention.

"Senator?" Bail whispered, leaning over. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she gritted out, forcing her hand away from her stomach and hoping he wouldn't notice how deeply her fingernails pressed into the leather seat. "It's just…I think maybe…it's time. _Right now_."

The other senator's face went white. Padme's lips quirked up: Bail, whose impassive façade lasted through session after session of Senate intrigue and bickering, couldn't hide his panic at the idea of a woman going into labor beside him at the Senate building. It would make quite a scene, considering that very few of the Senators even knew Padme was pregnant. Quite educational, too, for all the species who had never seen a human give birth…

But Bail didn't seem to think it was a good time for such a lesson.

"All right," he said, taking a deep breath as he steered their repulsor pod closer to the entrance and helped her to her feet. "I'll drive you to the med center, Senator."

Once he had helped her into his speeder and they were weaving around traffic on their way to the closest med center, Bail glanced at her. "Senator Amidala?"

"Yes, Senator Organa?"

"Is there someone we need to call and inform?"

Padme shook her head.

"Are you certain? Not even— "he hesitated. "Not even the father?"

Padme paused to consider what she could say without giving away Anakin's identity; The contractions, coming increasingly harder and closer together, weren't improving her clarity of thought. "No," she finally gasped. "No, he is too far away."

"It doesn't feel right that you should be alone, Padme. If it were Breha in labor…" he allowed his voice to trail off. "I would want her to have some friend or family with her."

She knew what he meant, but decided to be stubborn. "You are my friend."

He knew she knew, but decided to be patient. "I meant a woman."

Padme relented. "There is someone you can call. Marjim, the Supreme Chancellor's secretary," she said. "Marjim Farrhyl."

O0o

Marjim arrived only minutes after they did, rushing to Padme's bedside. Immediately she sat down and patiently held Padme's hand while they waited for the twins to make their appearance.

"Thank you for coming," Padme whispered. Her elaborate hairstyle and pins that held it in place kept her head from lying flat on the table, and they prickled at her neck.

As if she had read her mind, Marjim reached up and began to gently undo the complicated twists in Padme's hair. Once the locks had been released and fallen around Padme's face and shoulders, the other woman brushed strands of sweaty hair off Padme's forehead. It was a shame, Padme though, that the droids alone were currently used on Coruscant; She had always thought that some planets used human personnel simply because they were poor to afford med droids, but now she wondered if it was because they had realized how soothing a skilled human touch could be.

"You're welcome," Marjim said as she helped Padme move into a more comfortable position. "I know how hard it can be to give birth without someone by your side."

Padme was going to apologize if the situation was bringing back bad memories, but the pain of another intense contraction took her breath away.

Suddenly, the world around her became a haze. She was only vaguely aware of Marjim and the droids coaxing her through the process of labor, her teeth grinding together as she tried to keep back her shrieks. Eventually, she just gave in to them and yelled, not having the strength to resist.

Then, everything went dark. It was warm all around, and wet. It was being pushed, bright lights flooding its eyes, cold piercing into its muscles, and noise- There was noise everywhere, noises for which it didn't know the names- Beeps, voices, and the hum of the birthing machines. There were things, cold, metal things, touching its skin and prodding it. The poking didn't hurt, but it felt- strange. The baby cried. It wanted to go back to the dark. It wanted to go back to the other one, feel its heartbeat, and know it was there with him.

Padme's sense of vision and hearing subsided back to normal. She blinked. Had she been _inside_ her baby's senses? Inside his mind? The medical droid finished checking the baby's vitals and inspecting him for abnormalities, then shuffled over to Padme's side. "Exam complete, no existing medical conditions," the droid said, then recited the baby's height and weight. Padme turned her head to look at the baby, which the droid had transferred into Marjim's arms, and reached up to gently touch the tiny hands.

"Look at your beautiful little boy, Padme!" Marjim said. "Have you chosen a name?"

"Luke," she said, unable to hold back a cry as her muscles contracted. "His name is Luke."

Once again, she found herself immersed in the darkness. Through her pain, she felt an alarm that wasn't her own as the baby inside of her was apart from her brother for the first time in her life.

She felt Luke's infantile mind—Oh, so full of feeling, but with no names or words to describe anything he felt- stretching tiny fingers toward herself and the other small light that glowed in the Force. Was her born child reaching out to her unborn with the Force? Was that _possible_?

Again, her senses were almost overwhelmed as Leia felt the shock of the sights, sounds, and cold of a new world, cries bursting from her tiny lungs. The droid whisked her away to do a quick exam.

Padme reached out to the Force, finding the two lost, tiny lights and caressing them. _It's all right, little ones. I'm here._ Sending little waves of love and comfort to wash over the twins in the Force came to her easily, naturally. She smiled as they both calmed.

The droid placed the babies in a warmer, checked Padme's vitals, and asked her some questions. When he had decided everything was proceeding normally, he prepared a sleeping aid and moved to Padme's side to administer it.

"Wait! Wait," Padme whispered. "Please, let me…call…the father first."

"Why don't you give her some privacy?" Marjim suggested to the droid as she handed her comlink to Padme.

"It is not in my programming to leave the room so soon after birth. It is standard procedure that the patient must be monitored until-"

"To Hoth with standard procedure!" Marjim interrupted. "I will stay here with her and come for you if something is wrong. You will only be on the other side of the glass, and you will be able to see her the whole time."

"I am afraid I cannot do that."

Marjim straightened her shoulders, turning to the droid with an impassive stare. "May I remind you that she is a Galactic Senator, and as such, has many connections and much information that should not be revealed. The Supreme Chancellor most certainly has the authority to remove a single droid from a medical facility and sell it to a distance planet to be reprogrammed to program binary load lifters, should any confidential information be leaked." She paused to allow the words to soak in, then added sternly, "And the Chancellor is a personal friend of hers and most certainly would desire to uphold Lady Padme's privacy."

The droid rotated its head and shot Marjim what definitely would have been a dirty look on a human face, but it left the room. Padme raised an eyebrow at Marjim, who smiled.

"When you have politicians demanding to see the Chancellor during his lunch break, you learn how to make your point. I'm sorry that I can't leave too, but that droid would pitch a fit. I'll stand in the corner, though, so you can have some privacy."

Padme offered her a grateful smile. She sucked in deep breaths and released them, still breathing heavily from the effort expended during the labor. When she could speak without panting, she clicked the comlink on.

"Padme?" Anakin's voice crackled.

Padme felt sapped of all energy, but somehow enough still flowed through her to fuel a thrill of excitement. She felt her lips tug upwards in a beaming smile. "Anakin, it's over. Luke and Leia have arrived!"

"Angel, that's amaz—Wait, Luke _and_ Leia?!"

"Yes! They're twins!"

"Twins? I'm a father! Yes, Force, yes!" From his tone, Padme suspected Anakin was punching the air with his fist. She understood him well enough to know there was no way he could be standing still if his voice was vibrating with that much excitement.

"Anakin, please be sensible," she could hear Obi Wan's voice say faintly. "Make sure she's alone, for goodness sakes. Here, hand me that comlink."

There was a shuffle, then she heard Obi Wan's voice, loud and clear. "Congratulations, my lady Padme. Are you alone?"

"It's safe to speak."

A ripple of static, followed by a loud grunt, came through the comlink. "Oomph. I know you are excited, Anakin, but there is no need to assault me."

"It's called a hug!" Padme heard Anakin bellow. "And you're going to be getting a lot of them now, Uncle Obi! There are twins. Wait, are they okay? Is Padme okay?"

"Ask her yourself," Obi-Wan said, his voice fading as he handed over the comlink.

"Padme, angel, are you and the babies all right?" asked Anakin.

"Yes, I'm fine, and the medical droids said Luke and Leia are strong and healthy."

"When were they born?"

It felt like it had been five hours, or else five minutes, but the clock told a different story when she glanced up at it. "A half hour ago," Padme said.

"A half hour ago?" she heard Obi-Wan exclaim. "Anakin, say goodbye to your wife so she can rest!"

"I'm sorry," Anakin said guiltily. "You sleep now, okay? I love you, angel."

Padme clicked off the comlink and closed her eyes, the hint of the smile that lingered on her lips fading. How could she enjoy this moment when she knew what was to come when Anakin's true desires for her and the twins would be revealed? _Stop it!_ she scolded herself. _You heard how excited he was! That was the Anakin I know, and he would never harm Luke or Leia. Or me._

A voice, a voice that was almost outside of her, whispered: _Yes, but the Anakin of your visions was not himself. The Dark Side changed him. By the time it happens, you won't even know him._

The memory of orange eyes rimmed with hate and greed for control hovered on the edges of her vision until, mercifully, the droid's sleeping potion sent her into a deep slumber.

o0o

 **A/N. So, I gave Padme a break in this chapter- If you can call giving birth to twins a break! Her discovery of her power is really just beginning in the next chapter or two, and I'm planning on getting out some longer chapters from now on. Also, if you don't recognize Marjim, there's a good reason for that: She and her daughter are my inventions. Marjim works for Palpatine, but she is a junior administrative secretary and isn't in his confidence. Palpatine still relies on Sly Moore and Mas Amedda for that, hence the reason why he can do away with Marjim if need be. To him, she's just another underling, but I have a plan for her. :) Nobody else belongs to me, and all the recognizable characters belong to Lucasfilm and Disney. As always, thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 4

Bail had made excuses to the Senate for Padme's abrupt exit from the meeting and procured five weeks of leave for her. She had, Bail claimed, undergone an intensive medical procedure and would need the time to rest.

If the definition of rest was trying to quiet two screaming babies alone in the very early hours of countless mornings, then Padme had certainly gotten lots of rest. Once, out of desperation, she had even activated Threepio and laid one of the children in his arms. She had received little help from him, just high-pitched, panicked protests that he was not a nanny droid and that he was programmed for protocol, not babysitting. He was fluent in over three million forms of communication, but he didn't speak _baby_.

Anakin had returned from his mission and snuck over to her house a few times to stay the night, but very little of that time had been spent snuggling in bed. One morning, when Anakin had been suspiciously late for a briefing at the Temple, Obi-Wan had come to Padme's apartments in search of him. He had found him slumped on the ground against the sofa, his head tipped back against the cushions at a sharp angle and his mouth hanging open as he snored softly. Leia had dozed off in his arms, and on the sofa, Luke was snuggled up against his mother's chest. One of Padme's hands rested protectively on the baby's back, and the other hung limply over the edge of the sofa.

All in all, when Obi-Wan appeared at her door at nine in the morning, a little over one month after the twins' birth, she considered it a victory that she was already dressed and wearing her hair in a long braid.

"Obi-Wan, I wasn't expecting you," she said with a smile. "But this is perfect timing. The twins just fell asleep, and thank the Force for that. Although I'm sure they would have loved to see you."

Padme, and Anakin, when he was with them, had both tried to get Obi-Wan involved with the children. At first, he hadn't been any more comfortable than Threepio and had stood just as stiffly when Luke was placed in his arms. Over time, though, a look of contentment had begun to grow on his face when the baby was snuggled in the crook of his arms while he and Padme meditated. For Padme, it was a comforting daydream that one day her children would sit beside her and join them as they explored the nature of the Force together. As a family, because that's what they were: Her, Luke, Leia, and Obi-Wan. The only one missing from their circle was Anakin, and she tried not to think about that. Once he became Darth Vader, a name she had heard in her latest vision, he would still be absent. She certainly did not intend to allow him to kill her, to make the empty seat be hers.

Obi Wan's lips had twitched ever so slightly upwards at the thought of the twins, but his eyes remained solemn. "I'm afraid I'm not here for your training, Padme. I need to speak to you."

She nodded. "Then please, come in and be seated."

They walked to the living room, and Obi-Wan lowered himself to the sofa. Padme seated herself beside him and waited, but he didn't seem eager to speak. She tried to engage him by chatting about the twins (Luke was rapidly regaining the weight he had lost, and Leia had a new stuffed animal from the Organas that she would happily stare at _all_ day), but he replied to her attempts with only vague murmurs. Usually, she could see his interest in her stories about the twins, although Obi-Wan attempted to hide it for the sake of that cursed Jedi rule about no attachments, but today she could tell that his thoughts were truly elsewhere.

She finally gave up and asked bluntly, "Obi-Wan, what is this all about?"

Obi-Wan shifted in his seat, although his sober gaze didn't move from her face. "I consulted Master Yoda about the nature of Force Visions. He said that the events of the visions may not occur in real life and that changing your course of action because of them can be a dangerous thing. It could even cause them to happen."

"What are you saying?"

He took a deep breath. "Padme, I fear I can no longer continue your training based on something that may or may not happen. Especially without the knowledge or approval of the Council. If you wish to speak to them, however, I will certainly do what I can to help you."

Her heart sank. She knew what Anakin was capable of, even if no one did. In her visions, she had seen him murder, and lie, and steal what he had no right to take, whether it was her children, information, or lives. She knew that Darth Vader would have the desire to, and she knew he had the ability with a lightsaber and the Force to take whatever he wanted from almost everyone. Even from her. Especially from her. Padme had a lightsaber in her drawer- bought from a smuggler who had probably salvaged it from a dead Jedi after a conflict like the Battle of Geonosis— and she had practiced with it frequently, letting the Force guide her hand. But without more training, Anakin would have about as much difficulty disarming a youngling as defeating her.

"You know I can't speak to the Council!" she protested aloud, although she had a bad feeling that nothing wouldn't change Obi Wan's mind. "Anakin will hear of it."

"Why do you fear him, Padme?" Obi-Wan asked softly. "I have seen the love he has for you, he is strong in the Force, and if not perfect, he has always been loyal to us and you. Everything seems to indicate a different future than your vision."

"You are just unwilling to consider that Anakin might turn to the Dark Side!" Padme stood up and strode away from the sofa, needing to stretch her tense muscles. The hard knots in her back only tightened further.

"Well, I must admit I have had my reservations. He is a good man, Padme."

"Did you ever believe my visions? Obi-Wan, did you ever plan on training me fully in the ways of the Force?" She glanced at his face and read the answer. "You didn't! You were just patronizing me with a few Jedi tricks to make me feel better as if I were a child! No wonder you didn't press me about speaking to the Council!"

"Padme, listen to me." Obi-Wan rose and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "I couldn't stand to see you so worried. I had to do something."

"You could start by believing me!"

"I could either believe your visions or believe in my best friend and former padawan, Padme. I didn't want to choose between you, and what I have done was the best compromise that I could see." He sighed, his blue-grey eyes remorseful as they stared into hers. "I just didn't want to hurt you."

"You don't have to, not if you train me. Why can't you, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead, avoiding her eyes. "I have sensed fear in you, Padme. And anger. The Force is a powerful ally, especially in someone with natural talent like yours. In your zeal, I don't want Anakin to be hurt—

"Hurt _Anakin_? What about what he's going to do to hurt me, my children, the galaxy?"

His hand gently squeezed her shoulder, and his eyes were kind, his tone soothing. "Anakin hasn't turned, Padme. That future may never come to be."

"Not if you train me," she whispered. "I won't stand by and watch as Luke and Leia suffer and die."

"Padme," Obi-Wan replied softly. "I don't believe that will happen. Anakin has his flaws, but despite the Jedi code, I cannot believe that his love is one of them. It is what grounds him in the Light— the knowledge of how you, and Luke, and Leia would be hurt."

"I understand," she lied, her voice slipping into the toneless drone she remembered from her days as queen. It was the voice that revealed nothing, that showed she was retreating behind a veil either to give up or formulate a plan to fight back. As much as she wanted to do the latter, it seemed her only choice might be the former. And she _hated_ it. "I suppose, then, that there is nothing further to be said." She turned away from Obi-Wan, surrounding herself with an almost tangible air of intimidation that she had practiced as royalty only on politicians and unruly suitors.

Although the Jedi hesitated, recognizing her motion as a clear dismissal, his boots didn't budge. "Padme…"

She brought a hand up to massage her throbbing head and found her temples were pulsing under her fingers. Long years of practice allowed her words to come out evenly, although more coldly than she had intended. "If you're not going to train me any longer, I see no reason for you to visit here anymore." Realizing how they had sounded, she exhaled a remorseful puff of air, hoping he would just _leave_ before her mask of control slipped away. "I need some time to think. Please, just go."

Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, then she heard his footsteps. "Goodbye, Padme." The tramp of his boots paused as he reached the door. Softly, he said, "I'm sorry, truly I am."

As the door closed behind him, Padme slumped to the floor. The apartment faded in front of her eyes, replaced with the tall buildings of Coruscant sprouting up around her like overgrown metal flowers. In the center of them grew the Jedi Temple, but the Force that swirled around the building was reeking of _danger_. And walking up the steps, wearing a dark hood over his face and glancing around furtively, was Anakin. He was carrying her babies.

It was gone in a flash, replaced by a red lightsaber. Towering in a huge black suit with his face concealed by a mask, the monster with Anakin's Force presence sliced off the hand of a sandy-haired boy. The boy backed up onto the catwalk, and the monster in black stretched out its own mechanical limb. Padme thought he would choke the boy, but it wasn't a murder- It was an appeal.

"I am your father!" the person behind the mask hissed. Abruptly, Padme knew who the boy was.

"Luke!" she screamed. Her head hit something solid with a thunk, jerking her out of her vision. Breathing hard, Padme rubbed the bump that was forming on her head and pushed herself away from the windowsill she had just banged it on.

Her husband chose that minute to walk in. "Padme!" he exclaimed, rushing over to her and dropping to his knees. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Anakin," she said.

He ignored her protests, reaching out to touch her arm and help her up. She couldn't help flinching as his fingers brushed against her wrist.

He noticed and stared at her, looking simultaneously hurt, confused, and worried. "Padme, something's wrong, isn't it?"

"It's nothing, Anakin."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" she yelped in frustration.

"Please don't lie to me, Padme." Anakin gently gripped her shoulders and studied her face. "I need to know you're okay, angel. You have to tell me what's wrong!"

"I don't have to tell you anything!" Padme snapped, wrenching her shoulder away from his hand. "My thoughts are my own. I'm your wife, not your slave, Anakin!"

She clambered to her feet and strode to the window, but not before she saw the look of hurt that flashed over Anakin's face. For a moment, it pierced her, but the sting quickly evaporated. She could feel the tension vibrating through her body with just as much energy as the speeders that zipped by outside. His rapid footsteps grew closer behind her.

"How dare you accuse me of that?" he asked, his voice rising. "You saw Tatooine, the junk shop! And compared to my other owners, Watto pampered me. Do you honestly think I'm like him, Padme? Or Gardulla? Force, Padme, do you see me as a Hutt who bets away human lives as if they were property? I have done nothing to you to deserve that!"

"It's not what you've done," Padme said, panting, as she whirled around to face him. "It's what you will do!"

"What I will do? How do you know what I will do, Padme? How can you judge me for mistakes I haven't even made yet?" He stepped closer, hand outstretched, and Padme flinched away. _The hand that would close around her throat to choke her, a hand that would hold the lightsaber that would slide through her son's wrist…_

His eyes immediately softened, although the pain in them didn't. "Padme," he breathed. "Angel, do you think I would hit you?"

She didn't speak; The tear that slipped down her cheek was answer enough. Oh, if only she just feared he would hit her, instead of taking over the galaxy, dismembering her children, turning his back on all they had ever believed in...

The next moment she was engulfed in two warm, strong arms, and Anakin's cheek was resting against her head. She held herself stiffly for a moment, then allowed her body to melt into his embrace. She rested her forehead on his chest, closing her eyes and feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under his tunic. Force, it felt so good to just let herself be held.

"I would never want to hurt you. I love you, angel," Anakin murmured against her hair.

"I love you, too," she said. And stars above, Force visions or not, it was true. She wanted to trust him, wanted to be confident that he would never betray her…but how could she, after she had seen what he was capable of? She loved Anakin, but she hated the man in her visions. Oh, she knew it wasn't an emotion a proper Jedi should feel, even for an enemy, but she couldn't help the bitterness, the rage that rose in her when she thought of the man who would so callously destroy her life and the lives of her children. And a little bit of Darth Vader had always lurked in Anakin— Anakin's impatience, his anger— and somehow, it was becoming harder and harder for her to separate Anakin from what he would become. What was Anakin and what was Darth Vader had mingled in her mind, confusing her love and hate in ways she couldn't untangle or understand. It was easier to simply focus on the love she had that was pure, untainted- the bond between her and her children- instead of trying to resolve her feelings toward her husband.

"Padme." Anakin's voice interrupted her thoughts, his arms tightening slightly around her waist. "The Council wants to send me on another mission. I'm not allowed to tell you too much, but they need a Jedi to help restore order to a recently surrendered Separatist world."

"And they chose you again?" Padme asked with a sigh.

"Chancellor Palpatine himself requested me," Anakin said, his head nodding against her hair. "But, Padme, I'm not going. Not when you need me here."

"You would defy the Council?" She drew back so she could see his face. She didn't know why she was surprised- it wasn't like Anakin hadn't flouted the commands of the Council multiple times, the greatest of which was probably their marriage- but somehow she hadn't expected this. Anakin's love tended to be primarily shown through his words, not always his actions.

"For you, Padme, I would," Anakin said. "And I will."

"No," Padme replied firmly, releasing her grip on fistfuls of his tunic. "You must do as the Council dictates. Many lives could be lost if peace is not established in this conflict, and that is so much more important than either of us."

"Padme, I care about a resolution to this war as much as you do, but something's wrong here. I don't want to leave you alone."

"I'll be fine, Anakin. With the bickering in the Senate and staying up with the twins, I'm just stressed." _And not the least because I almost have a heart attack every time you step in the door, and I see the sunlight shining on your eyes. Or when I feel chills when you touch me, knowing that one day they will be the fingers of a monster. And knowing there's nothing I can do to prevent it- that's the worst of all._ As much as she wanted Anakin home, having him there made her, Padme Amidala, scared. Few things in the galaxy made her feel helpless, but her husband's fate was one of them.

"Please, Anakin," she said, reaching up to touch his cheeks and pull his head down so she could look him in the eye. "If you take this mission, it will be for the best."

He breathed a resigned sigh and pulled her back into his warm embrace. "Best for the galaxy, or best for you?"

"For both," Padme whispered into his tunic. As she had intended, he didn't hear her.

O0o

Padme didn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. The day's events still tumbled in her mind, the cycle of her thoughts broken only by the twins' distraught wails. They seemed to sense their mother's distress in the Force and responded to it in the only way they could, which, unfortunately for Padme and her need to sleep, was crying. Reaching out to the Force to try to calm herself and them, it felt as if she had run smack into a brick wall. She caught herself longing for Anakin: With a lullaby and a mental snuggle through the Force, he had always been able to quiet the twins.

Cradling Leia in her arms, she began to rock back and forth on her feet and hum a soft lullaby from Naboo. It was one her parents had sung to her during her childhood, one about moonlight, sleep, a parent's arms, and safety. Her voice wavered; It was a lie, all of it. There was _nothing_ she could do to protect her children, nothing! Anakin would turn to the Dark side, he would kill her, and then he would hunt Luke and Leia. And she would be able to do what? Mediate the whole affair away, or perhaps levitate a stone to trip Anakin? Padme clenched her teeth, holding in a growl of frustration at her helplessness. The Force was suddenly, invitingly there, and involuntarily she touched it, her frustration flowing through her fingertips.

Across the room, her coffee table shuddered as if it had been kicked, and the small statue on top toppled over. The pictures on the wall shivered, and Padme glanced at them in shock; She wasn't even calm enough to focus and use the Force to comfort a newborn child, so how had she began able to do _that?_ The Force had not absorbed her frustration: It had _use_ d it.

Leia abruptly quieted in her arms, staring up at her with wide eyes that looked almost shocked. Once she had fallen asleep again, Padme fell into bed again and buried her face in the covers. She laid there alone with her thoughts and perversely wished the twins were still awake. Wandering over to their crib, she watched her beautiful children sleep, their chests rising evenly up and down inside their sleepers and their tiny fingers intertwined. No matter how much she needed a snuggle, she wasn't about to disturb their precious slumber. The bond between them was a precious thing to see.

But it made Padme feel even more alone, so alone.

When she dragged herself out of bed the next morning, Padme pulled on some clothes, twisted her hair up into a simple bun, and left the twins in Threepio's care. She needed to speak to someone who would listen, who would believe her, and who had the power to help. And the only one left for her who fit that description was the Supreme Chancellor.

She felt a nudge in the Force, and she took her lightsaber with her.


End file.
